Left in the Shadows
by AravisK
Summary: Shmi Skywalker Lars seemed to fade into obscurity following her death on Tattoine in the arms of her son. Her granddaughter Leia finds Shmi's journal in the Lars homestead and discovers more about her past than was ever known before.
1. Prologue: Leia's Discovery 21 ABY

**PROLOGUE: Leia's Discovery (21 ABY)**

Leia was tired. No, exhausted was the better word for it. She, Han, Chewbacca, and Jaina (their daughter) had been on this planet for several days, unable to leave because of severe sand storms and because they were waiting for pirates to give up on finding them here. Han, being the ever confident (or ever arrogant?) person that he was, suggested they leave as soon as the sand storms lifted. That plan, however, was put in serious jeopardy when they were nearly discovered by one pirate that was particularly bent on finding them. By "persuading" one of the bartenders they found out that the four pirates looking for them were all in Mos Eisley, and it would be several days before they would leave since they were picking up cargo and payment from the Hutts ("persuading" is the term Han used, though Leia thought it more akin to "bribing"). Late one night, the foursome was sitting around a table in the back corner of a cantina, trying to decide what to do next. It had been an extremely long day, and Han was extremely testy this evening.

"I say we make a run for it" Han said, casually reclining against the booth's cushion. "The Falcon can outrun them."

"As I recall, that's exactly what you said when we were being chased here" Jaina said.

Leia smirked. "That's what I was thinking, Jaina. Give them a few more days, and they'll give up on us."

Han straightened up. "What is this, 'gang up on Han day'? I say we try to get away; I'd rather be in space than be stuck here on this sand-covered rock." Leia began to respond, but fell silent. Han's tone instantly softened as he said, "Something wrong princess?"

Leia sighed as Han reached across the table for her hand. "I'm sorry; maybe we should return to the ship and try to get some sleep."

"It's not that" Leia said as she pulled her hand away. "You know my grandmother used to live here in Mos Eisley."

Jaina turned to her mother. "You had a grandmother on Tattoine?"

Leia nodded as she said, "yes, Shmi Skywalker. Anakin's mother and my aunt's adopted mother."

Han returned to his reclined position. "This is all very fascinating, but why are you all of a sudden thinking of this?"

"I've wanted to visit where she lived; Luke said she lived at his homestead, but died long before he came along. And I'd like to visit her grave" Leia said quietly. Han arched his eyebrow, rolled his eyes, and said, "You didn't answer my question; why now? You've had over 20 years to visit this place and you haven't."

Jaina placed her hand over her dad's. "I think we should try to find where the homestead is. I'd like to see it too. Besides, it's not like we can do much else, and I'd rather be doing something interesting rather than just sitting here waiting for them to find us."

Han sighed, crossed his arms, and said a moment later, "Fine. We'll try to find this homestead of yours, but we're leaving as soon as you've finished reminiscing, all right?"

Leia's eyes narrowed at him, and Han knew he had just crossed the line. Chewbacca chuckled, and Han resigned himself to the fact that he was very outvoted and outnumbered. They returned to the Falcon that night, but not without finding out where the homestead was and how to get there. Leia and Han argued about whether or not to take the Falcon, with Leia winning in the end and deciding that riding eopies would be the best and least suspicious way to travel to the homestead. Once packed with water and food, along with weapons and the navigating equipment to help them get there, they set off around midday the following day.

After the murder of Owen and Beru Lars, Luke had been unable to sell the homestead, and had eventually decided to simply keep it in the family. It was still standing, along with all of the outbuildings, though they were in sore need of repair and upkeep. The family secured the eopies and ventured down into the courtyard of the homestead, taking a moment to look around. "So, this is what you wanted to see?" Han said, his hands on his hips. "Doesn't look like much."

"No, but doesn't it make you sad?" Leia asked, turning to him.

Han looked around once more before locking eyes with her. "I guess it doesn't hold a lot of emotion for me; you're the one connected to this place not me."

Leia went to the door on her left, but it wouldn't budge. "Guess it's been here too long."

Chewbacca gently moved her aside, and pulled open the door enough for them to enter. Leia entered first, followed by Han, Jaina, and finally Chewbacca (though he had more difficulty getting inside than the other three). "It's rather dusty in here" Han said, observing the interior of the main living quarters.

"Well, this is a desert planet; it's bound to get a bit of settled dust" Leia replied, moving towards the one of the doors. She opened it with some difficult, but once inside, she realized she was in one of the bedrooms. Nothing that she could see indicated who this bedroom belonged to, so she began to search the room out of curiosity. She thought she spotted something on the dust-covered desk, an irregularity in the uniformity of the sand. Picking it up, she realized it was a holoframe, which held holographic images and could be changed with the push of a button. Dusting it off, she attempted to turn it on, and surprisingly, it still worked. The first image was one of Anakin standing with Petra; Leia recognized her father and adopted aunt by the old images that Luke had retrieved from the Jedi Temple database. Anakin and Petra were considerably younger in this photo than in the one from the database, but it was easy to see where Luke got his looks from. Leia clicked through the photos, finding more of Anakin, Petra and Shmi together. She even found one photo of Cliegg and Shmi, then Cliegg, Shmi, Owen, and Beru as a family. Turning it off, she tucked the frame into the satchel she carried at her side before shoving the dirt off the desk and searching the drawers. She found little of interest: a few hair tools, extra clothing, etc. One item pricked her interest, and it was a book. No, more than a book; after dusting it off, she found that it was a diary or journal of some kind. It had no lock on it, and the inscription on the inside read: "To Mom, from your children Petra and Anakin." _Shmi's journal!_ Leia thought. _Amazing that the pages are still in good condition, even after all these years! _

"Are you ready to leave yet? This place is making it difficult to breathe" Han said in his usual, gruff tone, poking his head into the bedroom. "What is that?"

Leia could barely contain her excitement over her discovery. "Shmi's journal."


	2. Chapter 1: After Effects

**Chapter One: After Effects**

The twin suns were just peeking over the horizon of Mos Eisley, their long rays already creating warmth in the poor town on Tattoine. I was already awake, having been up since before dawn though it wasn't warranted. I very rarely woke up before 0615, but this morning was different. My early morning was produced by an extremely sleepless and fitful night, which was the result of my children not being with me. Petra and Anakin had left only three days before, and I was still trying to acclimate to an empty home.

Sorna, my dearest friend in the world, had come to visit me the day before, to inquire how I was faring with the young ones gone. Try as I might, I could not prevent the flow of tears from coming, and like the friend that she is, Sorna allowed me to cry without criticizing me. "Shmi" she said, "keep your chin up. Petra and Anakin were raised well, and they will be all right wherever they are. You were a good mother to them."

I sighed. "-were a good mother to them" was something I hated remembering. It was past tense, meaning I was no longer their mother. No…no. As Petra said to me before she left, "Mom, no matter where I am or what I become, you will always be my mother. And I will always love you." I smiled. Petra was right; no matter what happened to them, I would still be their mother. I looked up at the chronometer; nearly 0800 and I was still sitting at home! My musings would probably grant me a lecture by Watto.

I rushed to Watto's shop, praying that he wouldn't be too angry with me for being late. Since Petra and Anakin were now gone, it was up to me to pick up the slack. But when I walked into the shop, Watto was nowhere in sight. "Watto?" I called. "Are you here?" There was no reply. Being the person that I am, I found something to busy myself with until he decided to show up.

Watto's disappointment in Anakin and Petra leaving had been evident the day of the Boonta Eve Classic, and even more apparent the day after when he had been especially testy with me. I can't say that I blamed him; he had lost a lot of money betting that my son would lose the race. Regardless of what he lost, I ended up losing much more; I lost my children, and there was no guarantee I would ever see them again. "Get to work on that hyperdrive in the yard; I have a buyer coming in this afternoon" Watto yelled in Huttese. I said nothing as I gathered up the tools I would need to repair the hyperdrive; it was safer for me to keep my mouth shut than to even acknowledge that I had heard him give me an order. Since the kids had left, Watto's small amount of extra money that he received had vanished along with Petra. You see, Petra worked as a prostitute for Watto. Not willingly of course; Watto decided to put her natural beauty to use, and forced her into it when she was 14.

For a while, I didn't even suspect what was going on until Petra came home early one morning in tears after being assaulted. She was 16 when she first told me about what she called her "dirty little secret". I assured her it was not her fault for what happened, and that as soon as I could, I would try to get her away from that business. No one knew, not even my closest friends. But Qui-Gon knew. Somehow, his Jedi intuition clued him into the secret that both Petra and I worked hard to conceal from Anakin. Qui-Gon confronted me about it one night, the night before the podrace, and asked me how much he thought it would take for Watto to release Petra from prostitution. I told him that no price would be high enough for Watto to let go of his only source of income that wasn't confiscated by the Hutts (he somehow kept it enough of a secret that the Hutts never found out about his side business). Qui-Gon assured me he would try his hardest to convince Watto to release Petra, but I was understandably skeptical about him actually succeeding. However, following the podrace, Petra came to me privately and told me that Qui-Gon had succeeded in freeing her as well as Anakin. While I was extremely relieved that they were free, something told me their freedom would come with a sacrifice. This was only confirmed when Petra pulled me aside shortly after the race and informed me that she was leaving Tattoine with Qui-Gon. I smiled and told her how happy I was for her, but I could tell she was saddened and even scared about leaving. I reassured her, letting her know I loved her and would always hold her in my heart. Watching her leave with Qui-Gon, knowing I would never see her again, was the second-to-hardest thing I did that day.

"_I can't do it, Mom. I just can't." Anakin said tearfully, coming back to me after starting to leave. I knelt down and looked him in the eye. "Ani, remember when you climbed the great dune in order to chase the Banthas away so they wouldn't be shot... Remember how you collapsed several times, exhausted thinking you couldn't do it?" He nodded as I continued, ""This is one of those times when you have to do something you don't think you can do. I know how strong you are, Ani. I know you can do this." I hugged him before he said, "Will I ever see you again?"_

_I smiled. "What does your heart tell you?"_

_Anakin thought a moment. "I hope so. Yes…I guess."_

"_Then we will see each other again" I said, squeezing his hand. _

_Anakin straightened his shoulders, threw his chest out, and said, "I will become a Jedi and come back to free you; I promise."_

"Are you done yet?" Watto asked, anger lacing his voice. I shook out of my reverie, looked over my shoulder at him, and shook my head no. He crossed his arms and said, almost with a snarl, "We'll continue losing business if my workers slack off their duties."

"I'm sorry, Watto" I replied, keeping my voice calm. "Perhaps you should invest in another slave."

"I would still have to pay for that slave, something I can't afford to do since I'm losing business" he snapped. "Unless you care to pick up where Petra left off? She _did_ turn out a nice profit that I could use right now."

I cringed at his reminder about what he had made Petra do. "No. I'll finish this then work on those other parts; I'll stay as late as I need to if that would help."

He nodded and flew back into the shop. I sighed as I pulled apart the hyperdrive. This was going to be a long day.


	3. Chapter 2: Memories are Forever

**Chapter Two: Memories are Forever**

Today marks five months since Petra and Anakin left for a new life with Qui-Gon. It is still strange to me to wake up and not hear Petra in the kitchen making breakfast, which happened on the rare occasion when she wasn't still at the shop 'working'. I sometimes think they're still here with me, and then sadly remember that they're gone. Each morning, it's difficult to get up, get dressed, and move through the day without an aching sadness eating at me. I never believed I could miss someone this much, even someone that I only had through adoption. I laughed softly to myself as I remembered that day, long ago, when I first met Petra.

_Ashura, the capital city of Jabiim, was bustling with activity as it always did on market day. Most of the business was in the trading and buying of slaves; slaves that came from planets scattered throughout the Outer Rim. It was not difficult to talk me into avoiding the despairing looks on the faces of those slaves, who would probably wish for death a thousand times before the week ended. Unfortunately, I knew all too well the feelings these new slaves were experiencing: while some of my masters, including my current master Pi-Lippa, were very kind to me, the majority were cruel, giving no thought at all to beating me like an animal. Pi-Lippa remarked once on how despite my harsh upbringing, I held little bitterness towards my owners, serving them as well as I could. It was in her household that I learned to be somewhat efficient with machinery and electronics, even though I was also charged with cooking and the occasional case of cleaning. I shifted the weight of my load to my left arm, still avoiding eye contact with slaves yet to be sold. Once past the slave market, I stopped to select a few things for dinner that my master had sent me to the market for. As I was looking, I could hear the crowd in the slave market become excited, but paid little attention to the noise until I heard, "Stop that girl! Stop her!" And just as I turned to look in the direction of the shouting, a small blonde-haired child with tattoos outlining the edges of her face plowed into me, knocking me sideways into the display stand. As if from reflex I grabbed her arm and she said, in a loud and panicked scream, "Let me go!"_

"_Easy, child, easy. I won't hurt you" I replied, loosening my tight grip on her arm. She looked up at me with the widest blue eyes I'd ever seen, but still fought to get away from me. A local security officer ran up to us, fully out of breath. _

"_thank you for catching her" he said, placing his hands on his hips and trying to breathe normally again. _

_I looked down at the girl then up at him. "What has she done?"_

_He shook his head. "Oh nothing. A bounty hunter brought her in and asked us to sell her; but if you ask me, she'd be better off in a home." He shrugged then continued. "Shame, isn't it? Never have we sold someone so young, but they say Serennian females fetch a high price at sales."_

"_Why?" I asked. _

_He laughed a little. "You don't know? Serennian females are usually not reserved for house work; typically, their main line of work is entertaining, if you understand my meaning."_

_The young girl was, by now, in tears and clinging to me. To think of such a young child becoming a prostitute! "If I offered to take her home, would you allow that, or do you expect payment?"_

_The officer's eyebrows rose as he contemplated my offer. "The bounty hunter brought her and left in a hurry, almost as if he had come across her by accident. Tell you what, you provide this child a loving home, and we'll call it even." _

"_We have a deal then."_

_It was nearly an hour and a half later before we were able to return to the house I lived in with my master. I was nervous, not just because I had agreed to take a child under my wing, but also because I had no idea how my master would receive the idea. _

"_Shmi, it's about time you returned. I was beginning to wonder…" Pi-Lippa came down the stairs, her voice trailing off when she saw who was with me. "Explain this."_

_I bowed slightly. "They were trying to sell this young girl today; the security officer agreed to let me take her without paying if I gave her a home."_

_Pi-Lippa continued down the stairway in silence, stopping at the bottom and looking over the little girl before saying, "Of course. What is the world coming to that we are buying and selling young children in slavery?"_

_I smiled half-heartedly at the ironic statement, and found it strange how some didn't condone the slavery of children, while most felt it was acceptable to own adults. "I promise this won't interfere with my work."_

_Pi-Lippa waved her hand in dismissal. "I know it won't. And you will keep her out of trouble?"_

_I nodded. "Yes. I'll go prepare dinner now." _

"_In the meantime, leave this little one with me. At least for the next hour or so" Pi-Lippa said, smiling warmly at the little girl. I bowed, thanked her for her offer, and scurried to the kitchen to catch up on making dinner. _

_Later that night, after the kitchen was cleaned, dishes put away, and the girl in bed, Pi-Lippa approached me as I worked on a piece of machinery that was giving her fits. "Shmi, can I have a word with you?"_

"_Of course master" I replied as I continued working. She sat across from me and said, "The young girl, did she tell you her name?"_

_I shook my head as she continued, "her name is Petra Tachi. She said she wanted to go home."_

"_Somewhat impossible, isn't it master?" I said, looking up briefly. Pi-Lippa nodded and went on. "She said that she was playing with her sister when a man took her away from her planet. She said she was hiding on her parents' ship when a stranger came aboard, stole the ship and her along with it. She was pretty distraught."_

_I sighed. "I would imagine. If I can ask, why tell me this?"_

_Pi-Lippa hesitated before going on. "My knowledge of her race is pretty limited, but I do know what they usually end up as."_

"_Prostitutes" I said glumly. _

"_Yes, prostitutes. And my limited experience has shown me that Serennians are fiercely independent and hard-headed, something which might prove difficult in making her your own" Pi-Lippa said, her hands clasped on her lap. "Promise me that, no matter what, you won't give up on making her your daughter."_

_I nodded my agreement, then said, "Master, why is this so important to you?"_

"_I once had a child. A girl. When she was a few years old, she disappeared and I never saw her again. That's when my husband left; 'to find new means of trade' he said. But I never believed it." Pi-Lippa stopped and drew a ragged breath. "I will do whatever I can to help you give that little girl the home she needs."_

"_And I will do my best to be the mother she needs" I said, giving her a smile of reassurance as I finished working. "Here, good as new."_

The memory stung as I walked to Watto's shop. It was a long time before Petra came to accept Jabiim as her new home, and even longer before calling me her mother. But I promised Pi-Lippa to work with her, and work with her I did. Every spare minute I spent with her, even if I was exhausted. I eventually learned that Petra was around five years old when she came to Jabiim, having just celebrated her birthday before being kidnapped from her home planet of Serenno. She eventually became comfortable with me, and I think even forgot that she belonged to another woman. As she grew, Pi-lippa taught her the things I learned. I sighed deeply before walking into the shop, almost wishing that both Petra and Anakin were still with me, but I stopped myself; I would rather they be free and happy than here with me. Both of them have so much potential to become something great, and my only hope is to see them again someday.

I called out in Huttese to let Watto know I was in the shop, but only heard grumbling in reply. I went to investigate, and found Watto in the yard in the back of the shop. "Curse the Hutts!" he said in despair.

"Watto, what is it?" I asked gently, approaching him from behind. He whirled around to face me. "I have to sell you."


	4. Chapter 3: Back to the Future 21 ABY

**CHAPTER THREE: Back to the Future (21 ABY)**

Leia looked up from reading, only now realizing that she had been engrossed in Shmi's writings for over an hour. "Mom, Dad says we should go" Jaina said, standing in the doorway of the bedroom.

Leia closed the journal and stood up. "Your father's best quality is impatience" she remarked. "Is he worried about us being caught?"

Jaina shrugged as she said, "No. Just worried about those pirates that are headed in this direction."

"Then you should have said something in the first place" Leia said as she pushed past her daughter and headed to the living room, where Han and Chewbacca stood with their weapons at the ready.

"About time you joined us, princess" Han said with his usual sarcasm.

Leia bit her tongue lest she lose her temper, a flaw that still had to be worked on. She merely took up position beside Han. "Anything interesting in that book you were reading?" he asked, looking over at her.

"I found it interesting" Leia answered. "When we have the time, I can tell you if you want me to."

Her tone of voice caused Han to lower his gun and turn fully towards her. "Something wrong?"

She caught his gaze and shook her head. "No. How far away are they?"

"They should be at the outbuildings right about now" Jaina said, double checking her handheld scanner. "Or not. I lost them."

"How could it lose them?" Han asked angrily. "Are you sure that thing's working right?"

"It was a few minutes ago. Now it's not showing any life around the homestead except for us" Jaina replied, adjusting the settings to no avail.

Han cursed under his breath. "It'd be one thing if we were stuck in a place I knew like the back of my hand, but this place? I have no idea about the layout."

Leia was silent, her face pinched with an expression of deep thought. "I'm up for any suggestions, Princess." Leia didn't answer Han, but instead leafed through the journal, thinking she had seen something out of place. Ah yes, there it was, on page 82. It was a rough drawing of the homestead, with each of the outbuildings labeled with a number.

"Jaina, can that thing accept data input manually?" Leia asked, moving over next to her daughter.

Jaina nodded. "I believe so. Why?"

Leia handed her the journal open to page 82. "I believe this might help us some."

Jaina took the journal from her mother and began to manually construct the homestead's layout on the scanner. "Nice timing, Leia" Han remarked, moving back to the window. "Any idea on where they are, Jaina?"

"No, Dad" Jaina replied, still adjusting and tweaking the settings in hopes of discovering where their attackers were. "I can't pick up anything."

"They aren't human; maybe that has something to do with it" Leia observed. "Some humanoids can mask their own bio signs."

Han rolled his eyes in frustration. "Great. Just great."

Jaina glanced at Leia and said, "Maybe we should try to find them with the Force."

Leia sighed. "You keep an eye on the scanner; I'll try to find them."

Jaina nodded as Leia shut her eyes and stretched out her senses using the Force. "I found them. They're…" she trailed off as a blast practically obliterated the back half of the living quarters. Leia was thrown to the floor and knew nothing else as she was forced into pitch blackness.


	5. Chapter 4: Reflections

Although my life in his service was absolutely no picnic, it was better than many other slaves' lives on Tattoine. "But, but why do you have to sell me?"

"I need the money. Otherwise I'll be in debt permanently to the Hutts" he said. "This is all the result of Petra and Anakin leaving."

"You mean your greed getting in the way of your good sense" I retorted, and then realized I should have kept my mouth shut. But surprisingly, Watto didn't reply. He hung his head and for one of the first times in my life working for him, I actually felt a stab of sympathy for the Toydarian. "Watto, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have…"

He held up his hand to silence me as he said, "You are right. My greed got me into this predicament. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to make the preparations to sell you."

He flew back into his shop, leaving me alone in the yard with my thoughts. I dreaded the thought of being sold again; I had been with Watto the last 4 years. We all had.

_Petra was an 8 year old, bright eyed little girl when I found out I was pregnant. How it happened, I could not tell you. I feared telling Pi-Lippa since I knew that was grounds for me to be sold to another master. But of course, there was a point in which I could not keep the secret from her any longer, and had to tell her about my impossible yet true pregnancy. _

"_And you say you had no…part in this pregnancy?" Pi-Lippa asked as she paced slowly back and forth in front of me. "That's hard to believe, Shmi."_

"_I know it is, master. But I promise you: I had nothing to do with this." I replied, determined not to sound or appear offended by her disbelief. I didn't expect her to believe it because it was so impossible! _

_Pi-Lippa fell silent, clearly contemplating what I had just told her. She then sighed, turned towards me, and said, "You have been nothing but honest with me since you came here. I have no choice but to accept your word at what's happened."_

_I realized I had been holding my breath, and slowly let it out. "Thank you."_

"_And when it comes time to deliver, I will arrange for medical care" Pi-Lippa stated, moving off back into the house as I returned to my quarters where Petra was. Petra was a smart young girl, quickly learning anything she was taught. She had even become fairly at home in the Huttese language, a language that was admittedly difficult to learn, even at a young age. It was a relief to me when each day ended and we had no trouble over her situation; we never saw the bounty hunter that had sold her, nor did we have any issues over her disappearance from the slave market. _

_Two months later, and Pi-Lippa kept her promise when I gave birth to a son, Anakin. Petra was elated to become a big sister, and did not suffer the usual sibling jealousy that I had heard of. Perhaps it was because she had come from a family where she was the youngest child. But regardless, Petra fussed and worried over her little brother, always careful and always helpful. Whenever Ani cried at night, Petra was often the first one by his cradle, singing to him in Huttese. I always believed she would make a good mother someday._

_Three years passed, and the peace we had known ground to a screeching halt as a violent exchange of government power occurred. Pi-Lippa was not a poor woman, nor was she someone without influence. But when the government changed hands, Pi-Lippa lost everything she had. Everything including her slaves were confiscated by this new government and sold. I feared being separated from my children, knowing that children were often separated from their parents in order to bring a higher price. Gardulla the Hutt, however, must have been desperate for slaves as she took all three of us, or perhaps Gardulla didn't want to spend much money on slaves. Whatever the case was, we were transported to Tattoine, a desert planet, very different from the planet we had been living on for the last few years. It was a difficult change, but one that I and the children learned to make. Anakin already showed promise of being a handy boy with tools, and was always fixing something or taking it apart to see how it worked. This resulted in many household items becoming disassembled then somewhat put back together; Anakin never could put it back exactly the way he had found it. Anakin turned 4, and we were in turn sold to Watto because of Gardulla's greed in betting over the podraces. Anakin failed to finish the race, but Watto believed he had gotten the better end of the deal: he had three slaves, one that was clearly talented and able to race, and another who he planned on forcing into prostitution. I was more or less free babysitting for the other two slaves in his mind. Watto was only a slightly better master than Gardulla had been. Had I known what he had in mind for Petra, I would have made more of an effort to be free of him. I would have traded anything to keep Petra from becoming what she became against her will. "The mark of a loving mother", Pi-Lippa would have said. Pi-Lippa always remarked on how I never thought of myself before thinking of Petra, and then Anakin. I suppose it was true; even though Petra was not my own, I would have given my life to protect her from the evils of slavery. It was an evil that Watto forced upon her and that I could not stop. It broke my heart to see Petra's face each morning after a long night, weary and streaked with tears. And Petra never complained. She never opened her mouth in protest of her situation, never came to me begging to help her out of her predicament. Each week, she would hand me a small bag of coins, a tiny amount Watto allowed her to keep after the profits of the week were added up. She never wanted to keep the money, but brought it home anyway. I disdained having to use the money at the expense of my daughter, but it could not be helped. The money was used for food and necessities. But each night, as I went to bed, I could not but help lie awake with the knowledge that I had no control over my children's lives. _


	6. Chapter 5: When It Rains

Leia roused slowly, her head throbbing from the force of the blast. She mentally checked herself, and nothing else seemed to be hurt. Her eyes closed, she sat up, and instantly realized that was probably a mistake as she felt so lightheaded she had to lie back down with a groan. She opened her eyes very slowly, allowing them to become accustomed to the bright light around her. "Mom?" her daughter asked, worry lining her young face. "Mom, are you okay?"

Leia grabbed her head and replied, "I believe so. Was anyone else hurt?"

Jaina shook her head. "No. Dad went to make sure those goons are dead. Can you stand?"

"I think I'd better just lie here for a few more minutes. I don't want your father having to carry me out" Leia remarked with a sly grin.

"Well you do know that Dad would be more than happy to" Jaina replied, chuckling. Jaina stood up as Han and Chewbacca stepped into the room through the hole created by the explosion.

"So Princess, you finally decided to join the party" Han said, bending down next to Leia. "Didn't hurt anything did you?"

"Just my head, but I think I'll be okay flyboy" Leia responded. Han offered her his hand. "I don't think I should get up."

"What? You want me to carry you outta here?" Han retorted, crossing his arms. "Not that I'd mind…"

Jaina rolled her eyes and said, "Okay, can we get out of here, please? I think it's safe now."

Chewbacca growled his agreement to Jaina's statement. Leia decided to try to sit up again with the help of Han, and from there stood up. She still felt somewhat dizzy, but the wave of nausea and lightheadedness had passed. "I think I'm all right now. No need to carry me Solo."

Han smirked. "Good. Let's go."

Leia began to leave with her family, and then suddenly remembered, "the journal!"

Jaina handed it to her mother; she had picked up the journal after the fight was over. "Right here, Mom."

Leia clutched the journal to herself and they made their way out of the still-smoking homestead, passing the bodies of the pirates as they made their way out of the building and away from the circle of buildings. Leia knew one thing: she could not wait to share the journal with Luke and Mara.


	7. Chapter 6: A Chance Encounter?

Two weeks passed, and yet no one stepped forward to purchase me. In some ways, I was grateful. I hated having to move, and shuddered to think of where I would end up if I was bought by someone less than kind. Watto might have to get rid of me in some other way though, and that was something I dreaded as well; who knew what would happen in _that_ instance? I tried to not think about these things as I headed home, stopping first at the market booths to purchase my weekly grocery items. If there could ever be a blessing ascribed to the children not being with me, it was that there was a little more flexibility in the way of food. After chatting a few minutes with Jira, one of the women who ran a market booth, I started home. Unfortunately, the streets were crowded with people going to and fro, and I bumped into one of Petra's former customers. I knew him because upon going to the shop one day, I saw him leaving. According to Petra, he was a regular. Slime.

"Well, what do we have here?" he leered, catching hold of my arm. "I haven't seen your little girl around in a while."

I rolled my eyes, wishing for a hole to open up in the sand beneath me. "She was freed two weeks ago after the Boonta Eve Classic. She's not on Tattoine any longer."

"Oh?" he asked with a snicker. "Well then you just might have to take her place. I miss having her around."

I tried to wrench myself free from his grip. "You used her."

He laughed. "Everyone used her. What else was she good for?"

With my free hand, I slapped him across the cheek with brutal force, knocking him back away from me and freeing me from his grip. He was stunned for a few seconds, then recovered. "Why you…" He moved towards me but was stopped by a man I'd never seen before.

"The lady was perfectly in the right" the stranger said, putting himself squarely in-between myself and the other man. "Move along."

The other man pulled himself up to his full height and said, "Just having a conversation."

"That's not what it looked like to me. Now beat it" the stranger replied, his voice firm and gruff. The other man grunted as he walked off, throwing me a look as if to say 'I'll deal with you later.' The stranger turned to me and asked, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine" I replied, a little shaken. "Thank you."

He smiled and said, "You're welcome. If you don't mind, may I walk you home?"

I shook my head. "No need to, sir. I'll be quite alright on my own."

He took my arm very gently and said, "I would feel better if I knew you were safe. I don't like men like him."

Under any other circumstances, I would have protested and argued. But who could resist such consideration and manners? So I allowed him to take me home. We said goodbye, and he disappeared. It was only later that I had realized how tightly the ruffian had been holding my arm; I could see the red marks around my arm, which I knew would eventually turn into bruises. Sitting on the bed, I looked over at the turned-off droid that Anakin had been putting together before they left. I had switched the droid off the day they left, and had not turned him back on since. For some reason, having the droid talk reminded me of their absence, and so I had seen no reason to use the droid. He still remained uncovered, as I had not felt like scrounging up spare parts to cover him with. However, I couldn't make myself take him apart, since he was the last thing Anakin had built, and I had promised Anakin I wouldn't sell him or "tear him up for scrap". I smiled as I wondered if Anakin would ever wonder about the fate of his droid. I hoped someday he would know.


	8. Chapter 7: On Coruscant 31 BBY

"Will you be sure this makes it to Mos Eisley?" Petra asked, handing the envelope to the transport driver.

He nodded. "Yes, ma'am. It will make it there in one piece. Watto, is it?"

"Yes, take it to Watto's shop; it's in the heart of Mos Eisley. Everyone knows where it is" Petra replied, stepping away from the pilot. He nodded again and boarded his transport. Petra and Anakin had both slaved over the letter, choosing paper over traditional technology, hoping that it would make it to Tattoine. Petra had paid the pilot as well as possible for having little money, and the pilot seemed intent on carrying the letter to Tattoine. Obi-Wan didn't know about this plan, and Petra intended on keeping it that way. Ever since Qui-Gon's death, he was quiet and more withdrawn, even at night. She had tried every way possible to draw him out of his shell, but he was focused only on Anakin's training and not her. It was frustrating to her to be ignored so considering her past, but she was gradually figuring out that Obi-Wan was naturally quiet and withdrawn, though to the point that it was now, it was not natural for him.

"Think Mom will get it?" Anakin asked, looking up at his older sister. "Petra?"

She looked down at him and grabbed his hand. "I'm sure it'll make it, Ani. I'd better get you back to training before Obi-Wan wrings my neck."

Anakin grinned and said, "Nah, he wouldn't do that."

Petra arched an eyebrow at him. "And why not?"

"Because he likes you too much" Anakin answered, laughing. "Besides, you're too beautiful to kill."

"Ani, you always know how to speak to a girl's heart" Petra responded, laughing with him as they walked back to the Jedi Temple. Siri Tachi met them in the entrance hallway, her arms crossed.

"Obi-Wan has been looking for the two of you" Siri said, leaning against the wall. "He's not very happy either."

"Anakin, go on. I'll catch up with you" Petra said, pulling her hand out of his and pushing him along in front of her. She turned to face Siri. "Is there a reason you hate me so?"

Siri shrugged. "I don't hate you. I just don't trust you."

Petra crossed her arms, appearing in much the same way as Siri. "And why not, may I ask?"

Siri uncrossed her arms and walked around Petra. "Oh, I don't know. Perhaps it's the fact of what your 'old' profession used to be."

Petra's anger began to burn, and she could feel her face become warm. "It was against my will. I came here to start over."

Siri guffawed. "Right. That's what they all say."

"Is there a point to this little conversation? If there isn't, I'd like to get back to what I was going back to do before being interrupted" Petra snapped, her temper about to get the best of her.

"I'm finished" Siri replied, starting to walk off. She turned back around, as if she had forgotten to say something, and remarked, "Stay away from Obi-Wan. I wouldn't want his reputation sullied."

Petra had to now bite her lip to keep herself from lashing out at Siri physically, for she knew that she wouldn't win against a trained Jedi Knight. Little did Siri know that Petra was intimately close with Obi-Wan; they had married in secret on Naboo immediately after Qui-Gon's death. But neither Petra nor Obi-Wan allowed that fact to be known, and so far, had done a successful job of concealing their secret. In some ways, she was blissfully happy with Obi-Wan and Anakin, knowing in her heart she would never have to return to her previous way of life ever again. However, there was another part of her heart that ached for her mother; the woman that Petra had been adopted by and so loved by that Petra could only consider Shmi as her own flesh and blood mother. She sighed, and began walking back to the medical area, where she knew Malee was waiting to resume her basic training. She silently prayed that the letter Anakin and she had so meticulously written would find its way to Tattoine…and to Shmi.


	9. Chapter 8: Reunion

"Thankfully, Mom detected them with the Force before she was knocked unconscious" Jaina was explaining to her cousin Ben, as well as her uncle Luke and aunt Mara. Leia shook her head and moved away from the group onto the balcony. She had no desire to revisit Tattoine in discussion, for she'd had plenty of the planet during their recent trip. Luke noticed her getting up, and excused himself from the group to join her.

"You've been quiet ever since coming back" he said, leaning against the railing. "Something bothering you? I know it's not the bump on the head you got."

Leia sighed before turning to him and saying, "I found a journal…kept by Shmi Skywalker."

Luke's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That's our grandmother."

Leia nodded. "Yes, and I haven't been able to bring myself to read any further than where I was on Tattoine."

"Why is that?"

"I don't know. At first, I was excited to read it; she was our grandmother after all" Leia paused, taking a deep breath. "I don't know why I'm hesitant now."

Luke crossed his arms and was silent for a moment before speaking again. "Remember when I found those journals at Ben's hovel? The ones he and Petra kept while they were in hiding?" Leia nodded as Luke continued, "After I started reading them, I felt some reluctance to continue. I can't explain why. Maybe it was the whole concept of discovering who I was and where I had come from. Maybe it was the fact that our father had been someone else before Darth Vader existed, and it was depressing to consider that such a good person had become so evil so quickly."

"But I don't see what would be in Shmi's journal to make me fear reading them, Luke" Leia replied, turning away from him.

Luke touched her on the shoulder. "Maybe you're afraid that continuing to read it will change who you are. And it will; but not in the way you think it will." He squeezed her shoulder and returned to the gathering inside, leaving Leia with her thoughts; and her questions.

The next morning, Leia woke early, wanting time by herself before Han and Jaina woke up. Sitting alone, she was forced to think more about the conversation between herself and Luke the night before. In the end, she concluded that Luke was right as she glanced over at the journal lying on the side table. Setting her cup to the side, she picked up the journal and resumed reading where she had left off.

"I thought life was dull on this planet. I was wrong. Today, I ran into a former customer of Petra's, someone who asked about her. I'm thankful I could answer that she was gone, far, far away from that kind of work. He expressed his disappointment in her being gone, and wanted me to take her place. Of course, I let him know how much a proposition disgusted me. He very nearly hurt me, but a kind stranger stepped in his way and told him to move on. This stranger did not tell me his name, and I did not ask even though I wanted to. He even walked me back home to be sure that I was safe. At least there is still some chivalry in the world."

Leia smiled, and wondered if the man Shmi referenced was her first and only husband Cliegg Lars. Leia decided she needed to find out and continued reading until long after Han and Jaina had woken up. "What is so blessed important in that thing, anyway?" her husband asked, leaning against the wall behind her.

Leia, without looking up or hesitating, replied: "It's part of who I am. I don't expect you to understand that."

"Ouch." Han moved to the sofa and sat across from her. "Listen sweetheart, just because I'm not a big fan of being-proud-of-your-heritage-thing, that doesn't mean I don't understand. I just don't understand what more you think you can discover from that old book."

Leia closed the journal, keeping her place with her finger, and said, "Vader terrorized the galaxy. All my life I hated him, wanting to believe that he had always been that way. When Luke told me that Vader was his father, I mean _our_ father, I didn't want to accept it. All my adult life I worked for freedom, working to free the galaxy of Vader's evil. But learning that that evil was part of my past, it changed how I thought about Vader and everything I believed about him. I still hate him, but learning that he was human: that he had a family in a mother and a sister, makes his flaws and his mistakes a little easier to accept." Leia stopped and fell silent.

Han was silent for a moment before saying, "I think now I understand." He stood and went to her and kissed her on the forehead. "I've got to be going."

Leia watched him leave before returning to the journal. As she started to resume reading, there was a knock on the door. She grinned because only Luke knocked in that way; Mara tended to knock once then enter. "Come in Luke."

"How did you know it was me?" he asked, coming in and sitting down.

"Aside from the Force telling me?" she said with a sly smile, then, "You knock in a specific way that no one else does. What do you need?"

"I see you picked up the journal again" he said, motioning to the book sitting in her lap. She nodded as he continued, "What changed your mind about it?"

"I suppose our conversation last night; it's silly to be afraid of a little book, isn't it?" Leia asked, still staring down at the journal.

Luke nodded and said, "I figured you would pick it up again; knowing your curiosity, I knew it would get the best of you."

Leia laughed softly. "You know me too well brother."

He shrugged. "Oh, by the way, I brought you something." He opened a satchel he was carrying, and removed two books and a piece of paper. "These are Obi-Wan's and Petra's journals. I found them together in Obi-Wan's hovel, along with the letter Petra sent to Shmi all those years ago." He handed them to Leia.

"The letter? I would have thought Shmi would have had it. How did you end up with it?" Leia asked, caressing the covers of the journal.

"Apparently when Petra and Obi-Wan moved to Tattoine after Order 66, the Lars gave the letter back to them. The words are faded, but still readable if you try hard enough." Luke took a breath then stood. "I better be off; I just thought you would be interested in reading them."

"Thank you Luke" she replied, smiling at him. He nodded once more and left, the door swishing shut behind him. She felt like she had been given the greatest treasure in the universe, and she was fully intent on exploring her roots until she exhausted the information available to her.


	10. Chapter 9: Tragic Circumstances

"Petra, get the emergency beds ready" Malee said, rushing into Petra's small office in the Jedi Temple infirmary.

Petra turned to her. "What happened?"

"There was an accident with a transport. It was leaving Coruscant when there was some sort of mechanical problem with the engines" she said. "It crashed in the lower city."

Petra gasped and said, "Oh my. Did anyone survive?"

Malee shrugged as she grabbed some emergency kits. "They don't know; several hundred citizens from the city were injured, and the local hospitals are calling for assistance."

Malee left as quickly as she came, and Petra was left to fulfill the tasks Malee ordered her to do. Before prepping the emergency area, she turned on the viewscreen in the infirmary. Footage of the crash and subsequent damage was shown, and there was nothing left of the transport. All that was left was a burning heap of wreckage in a crowded neighborhood. Even though Petra felt sympathy for those injured and dead, she also felt a stab of selfishness; the letter she'd written never made it home.

I was working in the shop one day when the "chivalrous stranger" came in. Being who I was in society, asking his name was considered unacceptable. So, I continued to work, trying not to stare and certainly trying to avoid catching his attention. Unfortunately, he did not have the same point of view. "Well hello again" he said in a warm voice. "I didn't know you worked here."

I looked up at him, smiled, and said, "Yes, I do. Can I help you with something?"

He chuckled as he leaned against the counter. "Are you always this direct with customers?"

"I'm sorry" I said, trying to stop the blush that was creeping up my cheeks. "It's just that, when I'm here, I don't make much conversation with those who come in."

He waved his hand dismissively. "I meant no harm. I hope you haven't had any more trouble with that piece of slime."

I shook my head. "I haven't. I can't thank you enough for what you did."

"I don't like seeing women treated like that" he said, straightening as Watto flew into the shop. This man had come in to the shop for parts, and he and Watto quickly concluded their business. But before leaving, he turned to me and said, "I hope I will see you again."

This time, I really _was_ blushing and had a good reason for doing so. "Th-thank you" I managed to stammer out; averting the intense gaze he had fixed on me. "Is there anything else you need?"

He smiled. "Not at the moment. Thank you for all your help." He touched two fingers to his forehead and extended them slightly out to me, and left without saying another word. Perhaps for the first time in my life, I had a taste of how Petra felt all these years working for Watto: men paid attention to her; she turned men's heads even as a young teenager. She had always told me that, demeaning as her 'job' was, the feeling of being wanted and desired was a selfishly good feeling. As her mother, I could never see anything good coming out of what Watto forced her into, and I had tried several times [unsuccessfully, of course] to save money and buy her out of the business. Watto would have none of it, for her value to him outweighed any amount of money I offered to him.

What puzzled me now, though, is how Qui-Gon was able to free her along with Anakin. For a moment, just a moment mind you, I felt a stab of anger at him. Anger at not just taking them away from me, but from being unable to free me as well! I slammed my fists down on the counter, causing Watto to turn his attention to me. I shook my head and took a deep breath, regaining control over my temper. Watto rolled his eyes and flew out of the shop with a look that conveyed indifference to what just happened. I really had no right to be angry with Qui-Gon; after all, I should be indebted to him for removing my children from a life that goes nowhere, especially Petra. There were too many times I had to dry her eyes after a night of abuse, too many times I had to promise her it would be okay. I still hoped, even from this distance, that she was safe from all of that. I had no idea what type of atmosphere Coruscant housed, whether it was decent or not. At that moment, I completely forgot about the stranger as I wondered how Anakin would be doing in his training. Was he frustrating Qui-Gon? I smiled. As intelligent and sensitive Anakin was, he could be headstrong if you pushed him in certain directions. No doubt Petra would have to mediate between Anakin and Qui-Gon should things get out of hand. I also wondered if Petra would ever marry; of course, while she was a slave it was unthinkable. As she said to me once, "who would want a used item when they could have a brand new one?" I hoped that for her sake, some man would be able to look past what she had been and love her for who she is. This thought led me to wonder if perhaps Qui-Gon had had his eye on her. I don't know much about Jedi rules and regulations, but I wouldn't be surprised to learn that Qui-Gon loved her. When they were here at our house a few months ago, I saw the way he looked at her, much older than her that he was. I tried to tell myself that it was nothing, but now, I wonder. The bell rang as someone walked through the door, and I was forced back into reality, and back into considering my own situation.


	11. Chapter 10: A Turn of Events

Another two weeks passed, and still no one came to buy me from Watto. Watto was beside himself trying to figure out a way to sell me, or to make a profit to break even. Even silent, he was angry. I did my best to stay out of his way, but it seemed as if he was intent on taking it out on me. The stranger returned, this time with a young man. They were again in search of parts. "Hello again" I said, smiling as they entered the shop. The stranger's face seemed to light up at seeing me, and he and the other man approached the counter. "Here for more parts?"

He nodded. "Yes. I suppose I should have gotten extra parts the last time I was here; the evaporator broke again. But I'm glad I didn't get extra parts, otherwise I would have had no reason to come back."

I blushed. "I'm certain we have what you need."

He slapped the counter. "You know, I've seen you three times, and I still don't know your name."

"Shmi Skywalker" I said, "though no one has ever asked for my name before."

"And why is that?"

"Because I'm a slave" I replied, lowering my head slightly. "Not many people believe I'm a human being."

If he was surprised by finding out that I was a slave, his face didn't show it. Instead, he said, "That's a shame. I suppose I should introduce myself: Cliegg Lars." He set a hand on the young man's shoulder. "And this is my son, Owen."

I nodded. "Very nice to meet you Owen. And I'm very glad I have a name to put to the face, Cliegg."

At that moment, interrupting as he always did, in flew Watto. He cursed at me in Huttese, then said to the Lars, "What is it that you want?"

Cliegg looked at me before answering. "More evaporator parts. Owen knows what we need."

Watto snorted with his usual disdain, and Owen followed him out of the shop. "Always a friendly fellow, isn't he?" Cliegg said.

"He's been a little out of sorts lately" I replied, not certain if I should broach the subject of my impending sale. "Not that that's unusual."

Cliegg laughed. "Most Toydarians I've been acquainted with are about as pleasant. Why take it out on you though?"

I paused. "Watto is upset that no one has bought me. He needs the money."

Cliegg thought a moment before saying, "how much?" I told him how much Watto was asking, and he fell silent before asking me, "how long would it take you to pack your things?"

"Uh…well, I-I don't exactly know. An hour?" I stammered out somehow. Was he going to buy me?

He nodded. "Good."

Watto and Owen returned to the shop, and Watto flew to the counter to complete the transaction. "Watto, I'm going to buy Shmi" Cliegg said as he plunked the money down onto the counter. Watto looked with happy surprise at me, then at Cliegg. Watto nodded, acknowledging that he accepted the deal. He then proceeded to deactivate my transmitter, a device that would explode should a slave wander too far away from his/her master. Owen seemed very surprised that his father had just bought a slave, and even I was surprised that Cliegg believed in slavery. I had hoped, perhaps, that…no, never mind. It was foolish to consider that option. Cliegg and Owen accompanied me to the hovel and waited as I gathered my things. There was not much to take, except the few clothes I had, a few mementos that reminded me of Anakin and Petra…and of course, C-3PO. I had never activated 3PO in the few months I'd been alone, but I felt as if I should take him with me. Cliegg took it upon himself to carry C-3PO to a waiting landspeeder on the outskirts of town where it was not so crowded. Owen and 3PO sat in the back while I sat in the front with Cliegg. I tried to sit in the back, but Cliegg refused and invited me to sit up front, an attitude most unusual for someone who had just bought a slave.


	12. Ch 11: Back on Coruscant: 32 BBY, 29 ABY

"I said no, and I mean no."

Petra knew she was losing this argument, but she continued to fight Obi-Wan anyway. "You have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do."

"Yes, I do. I'm your husband, not to mention your protector" he said, his voice hard and firm. "I can't have you running back to Tattoine for your mother, especially since I swore to Qui-Gon I'd keep you off that planet and away from the Hutts."

"You're not my master" Petra bit, not liking being told what to do, especially by someone she loved. "I'm not a slave to you. I'm free to go when and where I want."

For one instant, Obi-Wan's anger flared, and it was evident on his face. Petra, though she knew Obi-Wan would never raise a hand against her, always feared he might strike her out of anger if provoked far enough. But as quickly as it flared, his anger abated and he sat next to her. "Petra, I'm sorry; I don't mean to tell you what to do. It's too dangerous for you to go. And I don't know if I want you going back to that planet. Not after what you went through."

Obi-Wan's shoulders lost their tension, and Petra knew that her own past, as much as it hurt her, hurt him. Their wedding night was spent not in passionate bliss, but in tender reassurances that he would never hurt her in the ways her customers had, never leave her, and always love and respect her as he did himself. Although the scars on her body would never heal, that night seemed to begin healing the emotional scars Petra carried with her. Even though she hated to admit when she was wrong, Petra knew Obi-Wan's argument came because he was afraid of what might happen if she went back to Tattoine. "I won't go" she said quietly.

Obi-Wan turned to her, took her hands in his, and said, "when I get a chance, we'll go back together and get her."

Petra shook her head. "We don't have the money it would take to buy her out of slavery. Even Qui-Gon couldn't free her."

"We could at least try" he said, giving her hands a squeeze.

"Would you please come to bed?" Han grumbled as he walked into the living room, his hair mussed from tossing and turning. Leia didn't reply as she turned the page. "You've got to stop burying your nose in those dusty journals."

Leia heard him approach and looked up. "Did you say something to me?"

Han grunted, then crossed his arms. "Yes, I said something, but you were too busy reading to listen."

"Sorry. What time is it?" Leia asked.

"Too late for you to still be awake." Han replied, his aggravation showing as a result of his lack of sleep from the last few nights. Even though Han was prideful, he never did sleep well if Leia wasn't in bed with him.

Leia looked at the chronometer and realized Han was right. "I'm sorry. I just got absorbed, I guess."

"You guess?" Han snorted. "Leia, you have to quit obsessing over those books. They're going to be there tomorrow, and the next day, and the next day."

"I know" she said, standing up. "I'll try to do better."


	13. Ch12: New Home, New Life:Tattoine,31 BBY

For the first mile or so, Cliegg tried hard to make conversation. I tried to reciprocate, but my nerves and anxiety was overtaking my usual friendliness to strangers. Owen never really tried to engage me, and it was just as well; he seemed uncomfortable in my presence. We arrived at Cliegg's home, a homestead with several outbuildings and a courtyard living area. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but it wasn't this. Cliegg was clearly well off, or at least lived comfortably enough to have a home this large. Vaporators which grew various species of mushrooms were scattered around the homestead as a perimeter of sorts. My heart sank slightly when I realized that I was the only other human employee at the homestead; all other 'workers' were droids or mechanical beings. The landspeeder stopped, and Cliegg took my hand to help me out of the vehicle, a strange gesture for a slaveowner but not a gentleman. "Owen, take that droid to the mechanical room, and then join us in the main courtyard." Owen replied with a quiet 'yes sir' before moving to do as Cliegg instructed. Cliegg carried my things as he showed me where I would now be living. "It isn't much, but I do hope you'll be comfortable here with us."

Funny remark coming out of a man who owns a slave, but I said nothing of the kind. "I'm sure anything will be just fine, sir. I'm used to being in uncomfortable living situations."

Cliegg laughed. "Don't call me 'sir'. You make me feel young, and that word makes me feel old." Apparently, the surprise on my face was enough to cause him to continue, "you are not my slave. You'll be paid wages, and you'll work, but alongside the rest of us. I don't believe in slavery, and I want you to feel like part of the family. Alright?"

"I thought…I mean, I just assumed" I stammered, but Cliegg touched my shoulder as he set down my things.

"You're a free woman, Shmi. I knew that I had to set you free the second I found out Watto was selling you" he said softly. "You have no place as a slave. You're far too sweet of a woman to have to live that way any longer."

I could feel the heat travel from my ears to across my cheeks, and I know he noticed this because he brushed my cheek ever so lightly with his roughened fingers. As quickly as the moment came, it left leaving the two of us in an awkward silence. Owen entered the room and said, "I put the droid up."

Cliegg nodded. "Thanks son. Why don't you show Shmi around the homestead while I do some chores?"

Owen hesitated. I could tell he was not sure if he liked this arrangement of me being in his home or not, but whatever reservations he had, they were gone in the face of obeying his father. Owen told his father he would, and proceeded to show me around the sizable property. Near the end of our tour, we approached a row of markers. Curiously, I stopped to look at what was written on the markers. Aika Lars. Gredda Lars. Lef Lars. Three names on three markers, and, as I realized with dread, three graves. I puzzled over who these people were, but Owen seemed to sense my confusion and said, "Gredda and Lef were my grandparents; they died when I was younger. This was their farm before they gave it to Father." I wanted to say something; felt like I needed to say something, but all I could conjure up was silence. Owen continued, "Aika was my mother. I was only a few years old when she died. He never talks about her."

"Losing someone you love isn't easy to talk about" I replied softly, "even with those who deserve to know."

Owen fell silent and looked at me. "Do you know what it's like?"

I nodded. "My daughter and son were taken away from me…nearly a year ago. My parents died when I was very young, I don't really remember either of them."

Unexpectedly, Owen wrapped his arms around me. And it was at that instant, I realized Owen was hurting: not only from a lack of having a mother, but maybe of having someone who talked to him about loss. I didn't know what the future held, or even if this newfound bond between myself and Owen would last. What I did know was this: this young man needed me. Perhaps that's why Cliegg bought me to set me free. But as to Cliegg's true intentions, I supposed I would never know.


End file.
